Ryanair has launched a £79 annual discount scheme that could help frequent flyers save up to £420 a year, according to the budget airline.
Among the perks included in the Ryanair Prime subscription scheme are exclusive flight discounts, free seat reservations and travel insurance.
The scheme is limited to 250,000 members on a first come, first served basis.
Ryanair’s add-ons can push up flight prices, as is the case with other low-cost carriers. Luggage charges are often the most maligned ancillary charge (the price for a 10kg checked-in bag can be as much as £44.99), but seat reservations are up to £33 for extra leg room.
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Wizz Air launched its subscriber scheme in 2024. The airline’s “all you can fly” 12-month subscription costs £500 and allows members to book flights up to three hours before departure.
Such schemes have sparked criticism for their environmental impact. A return flight from London to Paris produces about 244kg of CO2 per passenger, for example, compared to around 22kg produced by a return Eurostar journey between the two cities.
For those who prefer to travel by train, Interail is running a spring sale offering 15 per cent discounts on passes. Interrail global passes include travel by Eurostar. The sale runs until 1 April. Alternatively, Eurostar tickets from London to Paris start from £39 one way, although the lowest-priced departures sell out quickly.
Subscribers will have early access to Ryanair’s seat sales. The airline says passengers can save up to £420 if they take at least 12 flights during the year-long subscription. That total includes a £120 saving on reserving seats, a minimum saving of £120 on the cost of flights (not including the seat reservation), and a £180 saving on travel insurance.
The airline does not provide its workings for the £180 calcuation for insurance. The average cost for an annual travel insurance policy for trips to Europe is £45, according to research from Go Compare.
Passengers aged 70 or over are not eligible for medical protection under the travel insurance offered with Ryanair Prime. The company says these people will be able to benefit from other aspects of the insurance, such as loss of luggage. The insurance provider is XCover.
Ryanair Prime members who take three flights in a year will see an annual saving of £105, according to the airline. This calculation includes £30 saved on seat reservations, a minimum saving of £30 on seat sales, and a £45 saving on travel insurance. Single-trip insurance policies for travel to Europe are around £22.
The name “Prime” may cause some confusion. Most people will connect it with Amazon. However, the term is also used by online travel agent (OTA) eDreams Odigeo for its subscription scheme. The OTA also sells Ryanair flights.
The cost of seat reservations is included in the discount scheme (Photo: Getty)Who can subscribe?
The scheme is open to people aged 18 and over who are resident in the UK, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
Over-70s are eligible, although not for the medical coverage included in the travel insurance.
Passengers must have a myRyanair account to sign up for Ryanair Prime.
Customers must fill out their details on a form on Ryanair’s website, accept the terms and conditions, and pay the “voucher fee”, which is the annual subscription price.
Users can cancel their subscription within the first 14 days after paying the fee and receive a full refund, if they haven’t used the benefits. If a member does not cancel their subscription, it will be automatically renewed after 12 months.
What is a Ryanair Prime companion?
Ryanair Prime members can select another person who can also use some of the benefits of the scheme, such as free seat reservations.
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Wizz Air’s scheme costs €599 (£500) for a year for use across the international network, except for domestic flights within Italy. Its members can only use their subscription for booking last-minute flights between three days and three hours before departure. They must also pay a €9 (£7.50) fee for each segment of the flight.
Which other airlines offer subscription schemes?
It is more typical for airlines to offer frequent-flyer schemes that reward loyal customers with air miles to convert into rewards or flight tickets.
Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines and New Zealand’s Sound Air are among the other comnpanies to have tested a subscription model.
The starting price for the Alaska Airlines scheme is $69 (£53) which can be used for flights in the south-west and west coast of the US.
Frontier Airlines has monthly, summer and annual pass options. The monthly pass is $149 (£115) after the initial enrolment month, while the annual pass is $599 (£463).
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